1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improvement in an apparatus, more particularly, an electronic apparatus, such as a camera, in which, for example, electric power generated by a solar battery (or cell) is stored in a secondary (or chargeable) battery, such as a lithium-ion battery or the like, and the secondary battery is used as a power supply.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional apparatus such as a camera, and the like, in which a primary battery is used as a power supply, or in which electric power generated by a solar battery is stored in a secondary battery, such as a lithium-ion battery or the like, and the secondary battery is used as a power supply, a usable state is generally provided for such apparatus by one of the following approaches:
1) After purchasing the apparatus, the user installs a battery provided with the apparatus into the apparatus. PA1 2) Insulating material, such as paper or the like, is attached at a contact portion of a battery which has already been installed within the purchased apparatus, and the user removes the paper before using the apparatus. PA1 3) A battery is incorporated in the apparatus, but orinary power consumption is so low that little electric power consumed before the apparatus reaches the user is. PA1 In the above-described approach 1) in which the user installs a battery in the apparatus, an operation member, such as a battery cover or the like, must be provided, thereby causing additional battery installation operations for the user. Furthermore, countermeasures against, for example, misleading when a battery of a different kind is installed must be provided, thereby causing disadvantages from the viewpoints of production costs and space. PA1 In the above-described approach 2) in which insulating material is attached at a contact portion of a battery, an openable/closable cover for taking out the insulating material must be provided, thereby also causing the problem of additional operations for the user. PA1 In the above-described approach 3), the operability of the apparatus is excellent. However, if the product is stocked on the shelf for a long time, electric power consumed by a memory unit and a clock unit of an integrated circuit used in the apparatus is not negligible. Accordingly, when the product reaches a user, the remaining amount of the power supply is considerably reduced, and the user will be dissatisfied with the reduced number of operations which can be performed after starting to use the product.
However, the above-described approaches have the following problems: